LESSON PLAN FORM

Teacher Education Department CSUDH

CANDIDATE:

SUBJECT(S):

Marcus Gerakos

Music-- Beginning

GRADE LEVEL(S):

DATE March 18,

2015

Guitar

Standards: 3.3: Play music from diverse cultures and time periods

1.5: Analyze and compare the use of musical elements representing

various styles, genres and cultures

Single/Multi-Day
Lesson:

Multi-day lesson

1.2: Clarify word meanings through the use of definition, example,

restatement, or contrast

DESCRIPTION OF CONTENT & CONTENT TYPE (Fact, Procedure, Concept, or Principle):

I.

This unit will be a continuation on our study of rhythm and blues, its musical characteristics,
its roots in gospel and African tribal music, and its influence on popular culture. We will
focus on my three-part arrangement of the classic Motown hit "My Girl" as recorded by The
Temptations. We will first study the rhythms and then the pitches in each part to simplify the
learning process and accommodate individual learners.

II.

LEARNING OUTCOME (Objective): Students will be able to analyze the musical score to "My

Girl" and be able to play the bass part and melody guitar part correctly. Students will
review basic musical vocabulary words (academic language) in preparation for
tomorrows quiz.
III.

CURRICULUM CONNECTION (How This Lesson Fits into Unit Plan): This is the second lesson of

the unit and incorporates the students' knowledge of their instrument in locating correct
pitches from the score. It also activates their prior knowledge of reading and interpreting
written rhythms. Today's new element will be to show students how the bass part and
melody guitar part work together to create a groove (an empathetic interplay between
two or more independent parts played together).

IV. INSTRUCTION

1. ENGAGEMENT (Motivational Activity): I will play the melody guitar part while singing the
bass part the students learned yesterday. I will frontload today's study of the guitar
melody with an informal question-and-answer: "Which beats of each measure are
accentuated? Which is not? Why do you think this is?" "How many guitars is this song
arranged for? What beats do you think the third guitar part will accentuate?" Their
responses will be an informal assessment of their ability to hear and understand the
rhythms that are written in the score.
INSTRUCTIONAL SEQUENCE (Teaching Methodology with Student Activities): Here is the order

of activities:
1. After copying the day's objective in their agendas, students warm up with the chromatic
scale on all six strings, naming each note as they play it. This reinforces their knowledge of the
notes on the fingerboard and will prepare them for today's activity--locating the notes from the
different parts of the "My Girl" arrangement.
2. I have the students take out their scores for 'My Girl" and I play the melody guitar part
while I sing the bass part we learned yesterday. This is their first time hearing two parts played
together. As I do this, they follow along in their score. I frontload today's lesson with our
engagement activity described in the previous section. Their answers are my informal
assessment of how well they understand the rhythms they're hearing and the interplay between
the two parts. Then I ask them, Who can tell me how many sides a pentagon has? They
answer, Five. Okay. So how many notes would you guess a pentatonic scale has? (The
answer, of course, is five.)
3. We then clap out the rhythms to the melody guitar part. I ask the students, "Which beats are
being emphasized? Which beats are being left out? Do you hear the syncopation in this part?"
4. We read through the melody guitar part together and students identify the notes in each
measure and where those notes can be found on their instruments. I ask the students where the
most logical fingerings are for each note. Students make notes on their scores about which
fingerings are easiest for them.
5. I model the melody guitar part slowly for them, counting the quarter note pulse as I play.
6. We play through the melody guitar part as a class.
7. I divide the class into groups of two so that students can work on the melody guitar part
independently. I have the advanced students play the bass part and the melody guitar part
together. I walk around the room and closely monitor each student's progress, offering helpful
suggestions.
8. I review our vocabulary words in preparation for our vocabulary quiz by drawing each

symbol on the board and calling on individuals to identify them.

9. I preview the next day's activities by playing through the rhythm guitar part slowly while
counting the quarter note pulse.
10. I remind students to take their guitars home and practice their parts, and to listen to The
Temptations' original recording and identify what each instrument is playing.

APPLICATION ACTIVITY (Practice and/or Reflection): The class practices the melody guitar part in

groups of two as I walk around the room and assess their progress. Advanced students practice
playing the bass and melody guitar parts as a duet.

MATERIALS & RESOURCES: Musical scores, classical guitars, music stands, picks, guitar tuners,

pen or pencil, white board

IV.

ASSESSMENT STRATEGIES (Methods for Obtaining Evidence of Learning):

Pre-assessment: I play the melody guitar part for the class and ask the following
questions: "Which two beats are being emphasized in this example? Which two beats are
being left out?", "Which beats would you guess the third guitar is going to emphasize?
Why?" and "Where are the most logical fingerings for these notes?"
Informal assessment: Students follow along in their scores as I play the melody guitar part
again. I ask them, Whats a pentagon? How many sides does it have? So that means how many
notes does a pentatonic scale have?
Summative assessment: I assess each students progress while they practice the melody guitar
part in groups of two. I listen for clear articulation and accurate pitches. When articulation and
pitches have been established, I listen for style and interpretation.

V.

ACCOMODATIONS FOR INDIVIDUAL LEARNERS (CONTENT, INSTRUCTION, PRACTICE):

When reviewing vocabulary I first present the symbol for each word and ask students to identify the
corresponding word. This both contextualizes the lesson and scaffolds it by beginning with the visual images
rather than the words themselves.

EL students: I always pair EL students with more advanced students so that they can receive
help and advice throughout our class time. I also present each content-specific vocabulary word

with its corresponding image so that they can make the visual connection with each word.
Students with intermediate CELDT scores: I expect these students to be able to identify each
vocabulary word by its corresponding symbol with minimal review or prompting.
Students with early advanced and advanced CELDT scores: I pair these students with struggling
students so that they can offer advice, explanation, modeling, and encouragement.
Summary: For our individual learners we began yesterday with the bass part because its the
easiest. Moreover, it helps provide musical context to the melody guitar part, which introduces
the pentatonic scale. As always, I make it a point to pair up struggling learners with advanced
learners so that they can guided and encouraged by their peers as well as by their teacher.

VII. HOMEWORK (IF APPROPRIATE): The students will take home their guitars and their scores to

"My Girl" so that they can practice the melody guitar part. Advanced learners will be asked to
practice all three parts. They will also continue listening to the original version of the song by
The Temptations on YouTube.